CarVerify

Free Car Check

S385 GHU

1998 BMW M3

Blue Petrol 3201cc
Search another vehicle

MOT Status

Expired
Expires2 Apr 2026
Tests20 (17 pass, 3 fail)
Pass rate85%

Mileage

158,586 mi
Last recorded158,586 miles
Recorded on3 Apr 2025
Typical for 1998 BMW M387,931 mi

Significantly above average — investigate

4 checks still locked for this BMW
Stolen
Finance
Write-off
Keepers
Unlock full report — £4.99
Instant £30k guarantee
or single check £9.99

Not all car check providers offer a guarantee. Don't risk buying from services that can't back their data. CarVerify reports include a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

Vehicle Details

RegistrationS385 GHU
MakeBMW
ModelM3
Year1998
ColourBlue
Fuel typePetrol
Engine3,201cc

All premium checks include

50+ data points
Finance Check (Experian) Insurance Write-off Salvage Auction Stolen Check Previous Owners Ex-Taxi, Police, NHS Mileage Anomaly Import / Export Scrapped Check Plate Changes

MOT History

17 pass 3 fail
Pass 3 Apr 2025 158,586 miles
Pass 6 Nov 2021 158,534 miles
Pass 20 Jan 2020 157,429 miles

Nearside Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

Offside Front Outer Tyre worn close to legal limit/worn on edge (5.2.3 (e))

rear exhaust braket slight broken insecure

Pass 26 Nov 2018 155,144 miles

Oil leak, but not excessive (8.4.1 (a) (i))

Windscreen damaged but not adversely affecting driver's view (3.2 (a) (i))

Pass 24 Nov 2017 149,780 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Oil leak ()

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded both (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 19 Nov 2016 144,311 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Windscreen has damage to an area less than a 40mm circle outside zone 'A' (8.3.1d)

Pass 28 Nov 2015 139,566 miles

Nearside Front Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nearside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit outer edge (4.1.E.1)

Nearside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Power steering component(s) has slight seepage from a component (2.3.3b)

Pass 15 Nov 2014 134,122 miles

Nearside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Front Direction indicator slightly discoloured (1.4.A.2f)

Offside Front Anti-roll bar linkage ball joint dust cover damaged, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Brake hose slightly damaged (3.6.B.4d)

Offside Front Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage from a joint (2.3.3b)

Pass 30 Nov 2013 128,769 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Pass 3 Aug 2012 121,371 miles

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Nail in nearside front tyre

Offside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Pass 6 May 2011 116,602 miles

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Fail 6 May 2011 116,602 miles

Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content after 2nd fast idle excessive (7.3.D.3)

Nearside Rear Brake hose slightly deteriorated (3.6.B.4d)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) has slight seepage (2.3.3b)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 26 Jan 2010 108,283 miles

rear brake pipes slightly corroded

Pass 26 Jan 2009 104,184 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 30 Jan 2008 99,321 miles
Pass 25 Jan 2007 94,499 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

Pass 2 Feb 2006 90,109 miles

Offside Rear Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Pass 2 Feb 2006 90,109 miles
Fail 30 Jan 2006 90,109 miles

Offside Front Brake pad(s) less than 1.5 mm thick (3.5.1g)

Offside Front front brake binding (3.7.B.1)

Offside Windscreen wiper blade deteriorated (8.2.2)

Brake pipe slightly corroded (3.6.B.2c)

front brakes unbalanced by maximum allowable of 25%

Fail 19 Jan 2006 90,062 miles

Nearside Front Track rod end has had excessive heat applied (2.2.C.1e)

Offside Front Headlamp aim too low when the centre of the headlamp is below 850mm from the ground (1.6.B2)

Offside Front Track rod end has had excessive heat applied (2.2.C.1e)

Offside Inner Rear Rear position lamp(s) excessively deteriorated so that it is not visible from a reasonable distance (1.1.A.3d)

Offside Rear Brake pipe excessively corroded (3.6.B.2c)

Parking brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1b)

Power steering pipe(s) or hose(s) leaking from a joint (2.3.3b)

Rear Exhaust system not adequately supported (7.1.1)

Service brake: efficiency below requirements (3.7.C.1a)

Offside Front Mechanical brake component has restricted free movement (3.5.1k) DANGEROUS

Nearside Rear Trailing arm synthetic bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Nearside Rear Tyre worn close to the legal limit (4.1.E.1)

oil leak

rear pads and discs getting very thin

service brake test not carried out due to o/s/f brake binding and making car unsafe to drive

How Reliable is the BMW M3?

Based on 440,678 MOT tests across 34,038 vehicles.

80.8%
Pass Rate
3,682
Miles/Year
32
Year Lifespan
34,038
On UK Roads

Top MOT Failure Points

Tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm 14,421
Brake pipe excessively corroded 7,386
coil spring incomplete 5,157
coil spring fractured 4,494
Tyre has ply or cords exposed 3,944
Full BMW M3 reliability report

Don't risk it. Know before you buy.

Not all vehicle check providers are the same. Some don't offer a data guarantee, which means if their information is wrong, you're on your own. Every CarVerify report is backed by a £30,000 finance data guarantee.

£30k guarantee Instant results Cancel anytime

S385 GHU is a 1998 BMW M3 in Blue with a 3,201cc petrol engine. This vehicle has been through 20 MOT tests with a personal pass rate of 85%.

Across all 1998 BMW M3 models, the average MOT pass rate is 74.8% with a typical mileage of 87,931 miles. This particular vehicle has performed better than the average for its year.

The most common reason a BMW M3 fails its MOT is tyre tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm, accounting for 14,421 recorded failures. If you're considering buying S385 GHU, it's worth having these areas checked by a mechanic before committing.

The BMW M3 typically stays on UK roads for around 32 years. At 28 years old, this BMW M3 is approaching the upper end of the typical lifespan for this model.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check the history of S385 GHU?

You can check the full history of S385 GHU by running a full vehicle check. This shows you finance, stolen, write-off, MOT history, mileage records and more.

What year was S385 GHU registered?

S385 GHU is a 1998 BMW M3, first registered on 1 August 1998.

Is S385 GHU safe to buy?

The MOT history for S385 GHU shows 20 tests with a 85% pass rate. To check for outstanding finance, stolen markers, write-off history and mileage discrepancies, run a full vehicle check.

Does S385 GHU have outstanding finance?

Finance checks require a premium vehicle report. This checks against all major UK finance providers to see if there is any outstanding finance on S385 GHU. If you buy a car with outstanding finance, the finance company can repossess it.

No warranty or guarantee of accuracy is provided for any free data on this page. The data guarantee applies only to information obtained through the purchase of a full check.